Photoprinter



w. E. LOCKHART.

PHOTOPRINTER.

APPLICATION FILED F EB. 7. {920. 1,412,693, Patented Apr. 11, 1922. 3SHEETS-SHEET 3. 479- ATTORNEY WITNESS:

I MT/4M UNITED STATES,

' WILLIAM LOCKHART, 0F HOUSTON, TEXAS.

PHOTOPRINTER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr, 11, 192 2;

, Application-filed February '7, 1920. Serial No. 357,066.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, VILLIAM E. Loo];- HART, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Houston, in the county of Harris and State ofTeXas,have invented new and useful Improvements in Photoprinters, 1 of whichthe following a specification.

This invention relates to devices for the printing of photographs andhas for its object the provision of a device including a lamp houseprovided with a window before which is mounted means for support ing aroll of films of individual films and a mask, the device furtherincluding a paper carrier provided with an operating lever and. havingmeans for holding the sensitized paper, this paper carrier beingnlovable to be disposed against the negative and the arrangement beingsuch that a circuit closer will operate to energize an electric lightwithin the lamp house when the paper carrier is in negative engagingposi tion.

An important object is the provision of a device of this characterprovided with novel means whereby the position of the negative may beadjusted within the window within the lamp house.

Another important object is the provision ofa device of this characterin which is provided a mask adapted to partially cover the negative formaking prints of different sizes, the position of the mask being alsoadjustable and the mask bein held in position by novel spring means. 7

Another object is the provision of a device of this character providedwith novelly constructed means for holding the sensitized paper upon thepaper carrier, the arrangement being such that the paper may be veryquickly and easily released after printing so as to expedite thecompletion of the work.

A further object is the provision of a device of this character which isso constructed that the operator may without leaving his seat, print alarger number of pictures in a very thorough and expeditious manner,means being provided whereby access may be readily had to the interiorof the lamp house when necessary, and means being provided forregulating the intensity of the light to suit various negatives. andvarious makes of print paper.

An additional object is the provision of a device of this characterwhich will be comparatively simple and inexpensive in manufacture, veryrapid and efficient 1n use,

durable in service, a great labor saver, and

a general improvement in theart.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the inventionconsists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fullydescribed and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings inwhich Figure 1 is a side elevation of the de vice in normal orinoperative position,

F1gure2 1s a longitudinal sectlonal view with the paper carrier disposedadjacent the Referring more particularly to the'draw ings, the numeral10 designates thebase-of the device upon one end of which is mounted acasing 11 constituting the lamp house. Disposed within the lower portionof this casing is a testing lamp 12, the purpose of which will behereinafter made apparent, and disposed within the upper portion of thehouse is an incandescent bulb 13. The upper forward portion of thishouse is in clined, as shown, and provided with a door 14. It will beseen that the door 1 1 provides means whereby access may be had to theinterior of the casing or house for renewing the bulbs when burned out.

The front wall of the house is provided withan opening 16 within whichis mounted an open frame 17 covered by a pane of glass 18. Associatedwith this frame 17 is a mask 19 formed as a sheet ofmetal having thedesired size and shape of opening therein and slidably mounted ingrooves 20 inthe sides of the frame. The negative from which the printsare to be made is placed between the mask 19 and glass 18 and it will beobserved that printsmay be made either from uncut rolls of films, packfilms, or from plates.

Slidably mounted upon the sides of the frame 17 are. plates 21 whichhave formed thereon hooks 22 for engaging the lower edge of a film beingprinted. These plates are provided with rack teeth 23 engaged by pinions24 carried by a shaft 25 having an operating button or handle 26 bymeans of which the plate may be moved for ad justing the negatives.Rollers 27 are carried by the frame for guiding the films when they arein an uncut roll. I also provide a clamp 28 pressed into engagement withthe mask by springs 29 so as to hold the mask and negatives firmly incontact with the glass of the frame.

Rising from the other end of the base 10 is an upright support 30 uponwhich is pivoted, as shown at 31, an operating lever 32. Hingedlymounted, as shown at 33, upon the base 10 between the lamp house 11 andsup port 30 is an arm 84 upon the upper end of which is hingedly mounteda plate carrying a spring-pressed padded bed 36 upon which is disposedthe sensitized paper, the paper being held in position by a clampingframe 37. A link 38 is pivotally connected with the plate 35 and withthe lever 32 so that when the outer end of the lever is depressed theplate 35 carrying the sensitized paper and also the arm 34 will both beswung to bring the sensitized paper into engagement with the mask. Whenthe lever is depressed to move the sensitized paper into this position,it may be desirable to hold the parts against further movement and tothis end I provide a catch 39 rising from the base 10 and engageableover the outer end of the lever 32. A coil spring 40 is interposedbetween the lamp house 11 and the arm 34 for holding the arm 34 and theparts carried thereby normally away from the lamp house. A second coilspring 41 has one end connected with the upright 30 and its other endconnected with the plate for holding the bed and frame in position awayfrom the negative.

Secured upon the front wall of the lamp house is a switch 42 positionedto be engaged by the arm 34 and this switch is connected with the wires43 and 44 which lead to the incandescent lamp 13 so that when thesensitized paper is brought into contact with the mask the switch 42will close the circuit for energizing the lamp 13. It is preferable thatthe lamp 12 be free from the action of the switch and be energized atall times so that the operator may inspect negatives by holding thembefore the opening 16. I further provide a suitable light regulatingdevice such as a rheostat 45 mounted preferably upon the top of the lamphouse.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will beapparent that I have thus provided a very easily operated and thoroughlyefficient device for making photographic prints in an expeditious mannerand with the maximum ease and comfort to the operator, as all theoperations are quickly and easily carried out without any necessity forthe operators leaving his seat. It is thus possible to produce a largequantity of prints of excellent quality in a very short length of time.

hile I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my inventionit is of course to be understood that I reserve the right to make suchchanges in the form, construction, and arrangement of parts as will notdepart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the snbjoinedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a base, a lamp houseon said base having an opening in one side, illumb nating means withinthe lamp house, a frame disposed within said opening, plates slidablvmounted at the sides of said opening and adapted to suppoit a negative,and means for adjusting said plates to vary the position of thenegative, said means comprising pinions and rack teeth formed on theplates and engaging said pinions, said pinions being mounted upon amanually movable rod.

2. A device of the character described comprising a base, a lamp housethereon provided with an opening, incandescent lamps within said lamphouse, means at said opening for holding a negative, a pivoted arm, aholder for sensitized paper carried by said arm, an actuating levermovable to bring sensitized paper carried bv the arm into engage-- mentwith a negative disposed at the open ing, a stationary contact withinthe lamp house, and a spring pressed plunger located in the path ofmovement of said arm, sl idabl through a wall of said lamp house toclose a circuit including said stationary contact, a source of currentand one of said lamps when said lever is moved to bring the sensitizedpaper against the negative.

3. A device of the character described comprising a base, a lamp housesupported on said base and having an opening in one side, illuminatingmeans within the lamp house, a frame disposed within said opening andcovered bv a pane of glass, a mask detachably mounted within said frameadjacent said glass, plates slidably mounted upon the sides of saidframe and having outwardly extending hooks thereon, said glass and saidmask serving as retaining means for a negative disposed therebetweenwith the negative f resting upon said hooks, means for moving saidplates simultaneously whereby to adjust the negative vertically incombination with a movable member adapted to carry sensitized paper andmovable whereby to bring the papers into contact with said mask.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

IVILLIAM E. LOCKHART.

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